The inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was unprecedented. Some 90,000 spectators packed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1911, to catch a glimpse of a high-speed, groundbreaking, dangerous, and hair-raising event.
Ray Harroun pushed the margins of innovation, which made him stand out among the 40 drivers. Epitomizing both the progress and potential of racing, he rolled onto the brick-paved oval in something he had designed himself. It was bright yellow and black, emblazoned with the number 32, and nicknamed the Marmon Wasp as a nod to its color combination and manufacturer.